Hinge and lock for steering-wheels



W. H. APPLEBY,

HINGE AND LQCII Foa STEERING WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED Auw. 1919. l Pagented Aug. 3l, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

14C l? I i6 I I W. H. APPLEBY.

HINGE AND LOCK FON STEERING WHEELS.

AFPLICATIN FILED AUG.1,19I9.

WILLIAlVI H. APPLEBY, 0F WINDSOR, ONTARIO, CANADA.

HINGE AND LOCK FOR STEERING-WHEELS.

f Specification of Letters Qatent.

Application filed August '.l, 191B. Serial No. 314,659.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, Winnaar H. PPLBY, a subject of the King of Great Britain, re'- siding at lVindsor, in the county of Essex, Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Hinges and Locks for Steeriiig-ll'heels, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to tie accompanying drawings.

My invention aims to provide a novel hinge and lock therefor, the hinge being constructed so that the parts thereof may be separated and pei-mit of one part being portable relative to a stationary part. The lock for the hinge is adapted to maintain the parts together so as to be in position for operative relation and also to prevent another part from being substituted when the lock is carried by one of the parts. In other words, the hinge parts must be used together and should one of the hingeparts be removed it is impossible to use the other part'when the lock is in place. It is in this connection that my improved hinge and its lock have been especially designed for the steering wheel of an automobile or other vehicle; the steering Wheel of a motor boat or other craft, and the steering wheel of -any craft adapted to be manually controlled. ll'hen so associated, the hinge permits of the steering wheel being tilted lor shifted at an angle relative to a steering post or shaft so as to provide clearance at one side of the ost ormshaft. Besides the hinge permitting of a tiltable movementl` it is possible to shift the steering wheels at an angle and then completely remove the same. thus preventing the steering mechanism from being surreptitiously used by the usual wheel. To prevent another wheel from being substituted for the original wheehthe lock is installed to render one of the hinge parts inoperative or protected against a substitute wheel or hinge part. Besides the lock serving this pur ose it may be also employed for locking tlie wheel in a tilted out-of-theway position, so that it will be practically impossible to rotate or steer a post or shaft by the tilted wheel. The use of a steering wheel insiich position soon attracts attention and indicates that an unauthorized pei'- 'son is using the automobile. so since such use could be easily detected, it' is obvious Figure l isia plan of the hub portion of i a steering' wheel constructed in accordance with my invention;

llatcii'ted Sino'. Sie, i920.`

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the same;

F ig. 3 is a side elevation of a stationary hinge member or part as forming part of a steering postor column;

Fig. et is a plan of the saine;

lig. 5 is a planl of a modified form of my construction Fig. 6 is a cross sectional View of the saine;

Fig. T is a perspective view of a post or head being non-rotatably held relative toy the steering post by keys 5 or other fastening means. The block 3 is substantially rectangular in plan and has its lower edges formed with a ledge 6, and a rearwardly eX- tending stationary hinge member 7, 'said hinge member being apertured, as at 8, and bifurcated or forked to provide side lugs or barrels E). The side lugs .or barrels 9 are connected by a transverse pin l() and said pin for the greater part of its length is rec tangular in cross section, particularly be'- tween the side lugs 9.. so that the pin 10 will present opposed flat facets and thereby having a reduced portion of less width than the diameter of the pin. The pin li) is neces sarily disposed transversely of the member steering post.

tilted position. ln view of the apertures :2S and 3T being adjacent the upper end of the post 25, the padlock can be `asil.,Y and quickly placed in position without reaching under the front side of the wheel. \\'ith the lock in position it is impossible to lower the tilted wheel on to the block '.26 of the Besides the wheel hnhhaving a temporary locking device 3H for maintaining it in operative relation to the hub 2G, the padlock may be placed in engagement with the end of the pin 2S as a permanent lock; the

f aperture 3() of said pin receiving the shackle 3S of the padlock. lt is then impossible for a person to steal the wheel.

1With the wheel completely removed, the padlock may be placed in engagement with the arm 2T or even in eng/agement with the pin 29, and thus prevent another wheel being substituted for the usual wheel..

From the foregoing, it will be observed that l have means 'for locking a tiltable steering lwheel in an inactive position means to ,facilitate removing the. steering wheel, and means to rende' a steering post nonreceptive for any other steering wheel. It is therefore practically impossible for an unauthorized person to use the steering mechanism of an automobile or any other vehicle which includes my invention.

I would have it understood that the struc.- tural elements herein referred to are sus- Yceptible to such variations andA modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Yhat I claim is:

1. steering wheel connection comprising a stationary post member having side lugs, a` pin connecting said side lugs, a movable wheel member on said stationary post member and having a slotted barrel to receive said pin, the relation between said pin and the barrel being such that said movable wheel member may be completely removed "from said stationai\ post member when said movable wheel member is at a'detined angle to said. stationary post member.

' 2. A steering wheel connection as characterized in claim l, wherein thel angle of the movable wheel memberfor removal from4 and connected to said stationary hinged member so as to be either hinged thereto or be removable from said stationary hinged member, and means to render said stationary hinged member nonereceptive to the mo vable hinged member.

The eoi'nbination of a` steering post, a. disengageable and removable steering wheel adapted for operation on. said post, and means including a pin fixed relative to the post and a barrel carried by the wheel establishing a connection between said post and wheel so that said wheelmay be tilted to an inactive position and also completely removed from the post.

(i. The combination with a steering post, and a block on its ripper end, of a steering wheel hub adapted to fit on said block, and a` hinge connecting said wheel hub to said block so thatsaid vwheel may be swung to an inactive position relative to said post and when at a defined angle relative to said post removed therefrom. l

The combination set forth inclaim 6 wherein said hinge includes an arm tofacilitate locking said wheel in an inactive position, A

S. The combination set forth in claim 6 and wherein the block is adapted to support means to render said steering post nonreceptive to another wheel.

ln testimony whereof l afx my signature in the presence of two witnesses. 

